First, let us learn about the kind of impurities in the unwashed vegetables: The first category, namely Group A impurities, are invisible impurities such as pesticides, viruses, bacteria and etc. that remain on the surface of fruits and vegetables; The second category, namely Group B impurities, are visible substances attached or included and of a relative larger proportion, such as sand, grit or mud and etc.; The third category, namely Group C impurities, are visible substances attached or included but of a relatively smaller proportion, such as stale leaves, weeds, hair, insect etc., which are included in vegetables.
The problem that this patent will solve is how to remove the Group B and Group C impurities.
Second, let us analyze how the process of traditional manual washing of vegetables remove the three categories of impurities. Prepare two bowls. First, put water in the first bowl until the bowl is full, and put fruits and vegetables into the water and allow soaking for an appropriate time so that the Group A impurities would be dissolved in the water, then put a hand into the water, grab a handful of vegetables and constantly make the motion of turning, up and down shaking and left and right shaking in the water so as to make the Group B impurities fall into the water from the gap of the vegetables, and to make the Group C impurities detach from the gap of the vegetables (but the vegetables and impurities still coexist in the same bucket), therefore the separation of vegetables from Group B impurities and Group C impurities are realized, (This article will define the breaking the clamping force of the attachment of impurities and the loosening of impurities at the surface of vegetables, as spin-off, which is also known as X operation), then grab one handful and repeat the above steps until all the vegetables in the bowl were being operated for one time, and at this stage, half of the whole process of washing vegetables is completed. At this moment, the vegetables and the three kinds of impurities still coexist in the same bowl. Then, put the hand into the water several times, each time take up a handful of vegetables, dipping in the water surface continuously and moving above the water to dry, and then put them into the second bowl, repeat until the vegetables in the first bowl are completely transferred to the second bowl while the three kinds of impurities and water are still in the first bowl, thus the step of separately placing the vegetables and the Group B and Group C impurities are realized (which is referred to as splitting, also known as Y operation). At this point, the second half of the whole process of washing vegetables is completed.X operation+Y operation=the complete process of washing vegetables.
Obviously, we can pour away the water and impurities in the first bowl and then fill a full bowl of water and repeat (X operation+Y operation), to conduct the second time of washing of the vegetables. In fact, washing vegetables in our daily life is also the process of repeating X+Y operation by changing the water many times.
Now, can we wash the vegetables if we just do X operation without Y operation? In the above example, after the completion of X operation in the first bowl, if the vegetables are not move to the second bowl to complete Y operation which splits the vegetables and impurities, but a pump is used to draw the water in the first bowl of water, then at this time, vegetables and Group A, B, C impurities coexist in the same bowl and are mixed together, then if someone ask you not to touch the dirty vegetables with your hands but pour them into the pan directly, will you dare to eat? That is equal to cooking vegetables with weed, hair, sand, worm and various impurities.
This shows that, without Y operation, Group B and C impurities would not be removed completely. Without Y operation, vegetables cannot be washed clean no matter how many times of X operation are repeated, strictly speaking, only half are washed, the vegetables are not washed completely.
The development history of the vegetable washer is reviewed as follows.
The earliest vegetable washer has no mechanical moving parts, now known as static vegetable washer. The purpose is to degrade pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. The method is that putting through the water and ozone in a closed container and place the fruits and vegetables in the ozone-dissolved water for an appropriate time, using the strong oxidation of ozone O3 to cause the decomposition of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables on the surface to dissolve in water, and then poured out with the water. As the purpose is to wash off pesticide residues impurities on the surface of vegetables, namely Group A impurities, and such vegetable washer still sells widely and is still popular.
Later, a Chinese patent whose Patent No. is 912 008 21.0 discloses vegetable washer with a kind of mechanical movement, now called dynamic vegetable washer. Its program is that: Set the washing-basket in the washing-bucket with closures (in the original text of this patent, the washing-basket is named as ‘permeable inner bucket’, while the washing-bucket is called outer bucket. To unify the title does not cause confusion, collectively referred to herein washing-baskets and washing-bucket), bottom of the bucket is planar or quasi-planar bottom of the bucket has come through from the bottom surface of the shaft, the peripheral end of the bucket with a water inlet and the outlet, the chassis features a rotatable washing-basket drive electrical and electronic control equipment, the upper surface of the washing-bucket is a waterproof panel. When use, the fruit and vegetables are placed into the washing-basket, washing-basket is rotated by a motor driven, thereby forcing the water was flung by the centrifugal force within the washing-basket basket and bucket gap then rose again to basket. Difficult sucked down into the basket again by centrifugal force flung gap baskets and buckets, so the cycle of flow, flow per share of each cycle are through the slit of the basket of vegetables to form a rapid relative motion with the surface of fruits and vegetables, produce friction to impurities and vegetable spin off to complete the X operation. It should be noted here that: the washing effect is due to water through friction, rather than the impact of falling water, the existing vegetable washers as advertised in the television emphasize that the vegetable washers provide a large amount of water falling action for flushing and washing vegetables, and these actions are called spray. This is a technical bias, prejudice of this technology is discussed below.
This patent scheme ingenious solve issues of vegetables X operation (except the flipping question of vegetables), although there is no solution to problem Y operation, but the inventor of the program there is no basis in human vegetable washer concept, first put such a viable option, very impressive as a pioneer. More commendable is that, compared to the complex robot designed to imitate Mount manpower program, this program's structure is simple and low cost. The program has been widely used since many manufacturers (see FIG. 21 and FIG. 22). While many manufacturers have the shape and position of the individual components of the program are modified to show the difference.
For example, as to the question of setting up a retaining part in a position above the washing-basket in the bucket, there is a variety of same transformation, for example, it can be located in the upper portion of the washing-bucket, and it can also be provided on the lower surface of the lid, or a separate inner cover circle, not even flap, then the water will naturally fall line after hitting the lid (this phenomenon is called the spray drops). Because the basket center of the cavity is an instant low-pressure area, the water above will be sucked back into the basket, which some people call the retaining part backwater retaining member board. These water retaining parts are called backwater board, manger, water retaining reinforcement, block hydrosphere, even the water retaining cover, which are almost all through the same means to achieve the same basic functions and the same effect. Although the changes caused by the location and the shape of the water retaining parts can make the water into the basket in different position, the difference of falling points doesn't make any change in the effect of washing vegetables.
Another example, as to the problem of setting water institutions under the washing basket, wash dishes are installed under the washing-basket in the original patent, and emphasis on that washing dishes and washing baskets are synchronous and not move relatively. Under the revelation of such a technical, then, when the washing-basket is made by plastic, technical personnel in the field of casting is easy to think that the washing-basket and washing dish can be cast as a whole, simplifying the wash dish to water basket at the end of the function of the bulge. In the same way, the shape of the bump can have myriad similar variants, such as it can be made into cross, also can be made into X, also can be made into rice word, or be made into swastika fonts, and so on, which can be called water board, dial article water, or the water bar, which in short plays a role of raising water.
The above-mentioned Chinese patent No. 912 008 21.0 has been 20 years before the present.
Incidentally, now commercially available dynamic vegetable washers are mostly installed with ultrasonic generator ozone or ultraviolet generating device or a plasma generating device, added with the static vegetable washer functions, in order to remove the Group A impurities.
There is another structure of vegetable washer of existing technology that the driving force above the basket, that the motor is mounted on the lid of the washing-bucket. The structure of the washing-basket is a long shaft with a rod in the bottom center, and the axis coordinates with output axis of the motor under the lid of the bucket. The bottom surface of the bucket has shaft seat raised, the shaft seat coordinates with the recessed hole in the bottom surface of the washing basket, and as support for the washing-basket (see FIG. 23 and FIG. 26).
See FIG. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, features of the two vegetable washers of the existing technology are:
1, No function of the division of Group B and Group C impurities and no division space.
2: Set shaft through 102 in the bottom center of the washing-bucket (see FIG. 22 FIG. 25) or convex shaft seat 202, see FIG. 23 FIG. 26.
3: The outfall is set only around the bottom in the washing-bucket.
4: On the drainage method, there is no way to use the spinning suction from the center of the vortex to discharge pollution.
5: The bucket shaft through the shaft seat 102 in the center of the bottom of the washing-basket or the raised shaft 202 as support for the washing-basket (positing a collar 104 on shaft 102 in order to increase the bearing surface.)
6: The bottom of washing-bucket is flat or quasi plane.
7: The structure of the center in the basket's bottom is protruding fit convex platform (FIG. 22 FIG. 25) or protruding rod long axis (FIG. 24 FIG. 26)
8: The opening of the washing-basket is widely open.
Because of the vegetable washer of the existing technology with these structural features, after using it to wash vegetables, there are the following three questions:
The first problem, Group C impurities are still mixed with vegetables, because: Group C impurities were thrown from the basket with the water cycle, rising to the top of the basket as the gap with the water bucket, but falling back to the vegetables in the basket with the water falling (if we call the water drops as spray, then spraying water down, while the impurities are spraying to the basket), so no matter how many times been washed, finally Group C impurities are still mixed in the vegetables; you cannot split the problem of removal of Group C impurities.
The second problem, part of Group B impurities is still mixed with vegetables, some accumulated in the bottom of the bucket around the center of the bucket shaft 102 and were not discharged. Because: during draining, the water flow no longer did upward motion along the gap between buckets and baskets with the reduction of water, and Group B impurities were so heavy that it sank to the bottom of the bucket, and gradually rotated to the bottom center of the bucket by the water rolling, to gather around the center axis of the bucket. Precisely the center bottom of the bucket of the vegetable washer of the existing technology is a rotary axis, and the drain can only be set in around the bottom of the bucket, so these Group B impurities cannot be drained. Many consumers are not aware of this problem because the sleeve mounted to the shaft under the basket blocks the line of sight. Part of the Group B impurities remain in the bottom of the bucket portion, partly mixed in vegetables removed by the user. Small parts are discharged from the drain opening by the bucket with the water falling. That is to say, the Group B impurities and vegetables are still mixed in a bucket after being washed one time. When put water into the bucket and start the machine again, the Group B impurities in the end of the bucket participate in the movement of water cycling up and down. (Such as consumers reflected washing amaranth using the vegetable washer of existing technology, and then fry amaranth to eat, the upper and lower teeth always grind to sand).
The third problem, there exists dead angle of cleaning, which is not conducive for the vegetables thoroughly cleaned. Because in the process of washing vegetables, no matter how many times we change the water or how many times be washed in water, the vegetables in the cleaning process has been relatively concentrated near the side wall in the washing basket, without a circumferential movement (be relative to the circular movement of the basket), also without a centripetal movement, also without eccentric exercise again (except when the machine started running first thrown into the washing-basket's vicinity). That is to say, in the process of these vegetables receiving water's erosion, a fixed positive side is maintained (because the water is a fixed path in the loop), it will easily lead to dead angle of cleaning and is not conducive to thoroughly clean vegetables, which makes the degree of washing to clean compromised.
In other words, the existing commercially available vegetable washer has just finished of washing vegetables, but not finished the Y operation, and also cannot solve the problem of flipping fruits and vegetables in X operation, so strictly speaking, even X operation is not fully completed. Overall probably only completed 40% of the whole process. After washing vegetables with this vegetable washer, pesticide residues may be dissolved into the water with the water drained away due to the action of ozone, and solve the degradation and removing of the Group A impurities, but Group B impurities such as weeds, insects, rotten leaves, stale leaves, hair and etc. are still mixed with vegetables in among the basket, not being separated from vegetables; Group B impurities, such as sand, grit and mud, gather in the central portion of the washing-bucket and is partly mixed in vegetables, and would not discharge with the water. When the second time putting water to wash vegetables, came along with the irrigation of the vegetable washer and rotation of the washing-basket, the sediment is connection with vegetables in the bucket, cannot be split, still need wash several times artificially to complete the Y operation. That is to say, it does not really achieve the liberation of the human and cannot entirely complete the whole process of washing vegetables by machines (X+Y operation). Strictly speaking, it cannot be called vegetables washed up, but only say that of half, or even less than half (due to the vegetables are not fully flipped, existing blind angle, which makes the degree of washing to clean compromised.)
These three problems are the reason that the vegetable washer can't be widespread for a long time. Consumers who were not aware of these problems may buy this machine. The consumers who bought this kind of machine and found the three problems after using the machine would not recommend their relatives and friends to buy the machine. (unless his aim is to degrade the pesticide residue on the surface of the vegetables, willing to done Y operation manually. This does not make great difference to buy a static vegetable washer. Though Group A impurities are removed, the problem of removing Group B and Group C impurities didn't be solved thoroughly).
If you want to manually complete Y operation without solving the three problems, the dynamic vegetable washer exists meaningless. For example, in the cold winter, people have to manually wash vegetables once or twice after washing them by the vegetable washer, but still cannot avoid the hand being soaked into the icy water; another example is that a fashionable lady, who paints her nails red, still cannot achieve washing vegetables without removing her makeup; another example, on some important occasion where people must eat raw vegetables in Western, people still cannot avoid risks of infectious disease from hand washing vegetables and hand touching vegetables.
If these three problems are solved, it must be a leap of “quality” for dynamic vegetable washer, because if these three problems are solved (together with ozone to remove Group A impurities), all the impurities in vegetables could be removed.
How to solve the three problems, which has been troubled the industry of vegetable washer for not being solved in the past 20 years. Both researchers and manufacturers are trying to solve these three questions of the existing vegetable washer, in order to complete the whole process, the X+Y two operations, of washing vegetables completely by the vegetable washer, to tell consumers loudly that: “my vegetable washer can not only spin off impurities but also separate and divide impurities, users can actually pour the vegetables into the pan to fry directly after washing them by the machine”.
Researchers have been theoretically designed a variety of complex methods in 20 years, trying to solve the three problems. For example: in order to solve the problem of flipping vegetables, in some programs the vegetable washer is designed similar to tumbling-box vegetable washer, to boost the flipping of vegetables, see the technology program of drum vegetable washer in Chinese Patent No. 012 372 01.3. Another example: in order to complete Y operation, which let vegetables and the three impurities in vegetables retained in a different space, some people simulate mechanical hands to imitate human hands on existing vegetable washer and use mechanical fingers to gripper vegetables from water and placed them in another bowl. Although the effect of these valuable exploration is not ideal, the explorer as a forerunner is undoubtedly worthy of our later people's admiration.
The reason why these three problems are difficult to solve is that the existing commercial vegetable washer obviously does not come out of the shadow of the laundry machine (for example: both the opening of washing-basket and washing-bucket are without shelter; both the center of the bottom of washing-basket and washing-bucket exist axis across upward; and some other characteristics, such as the drainage openings are around the bottom of the bucket), of course we cannot solve these three problems. Washing vegetables is unlike laundry: first, no matter how dirty the clothes are, there are no much sediment, weed, stale leaves, and so on, but only the Group A impurities, such as perspiration, stains, dirt and etc., adhered to the surface of the garment, so there is no need to fish out and divide Group B and Group C impurities, and the washing work is relatively much easier. Secondly, the water left after washing clothes can be directly discharged without clogging drains and drain valve, but washing vegetables is different, because a lot of water-insoluble Group B and Group C impurities are in the vegetables, which would directly block up the nozzle of the drain-pipe soon if discharged with the water into the drain-pipe. Calmly say, even if the nozzle is not blocked, when Group C impurities go into the outfall, it is very easy to make the rubber plug stuck in the rubber stopper at the drain valve, leading to leakage for the reason of the rubber stopper closed out of the position.
After years of research, this patent solves all the three problems, and overcome the bias of this technology relying on spray vegetables and makes a qualitative change of the washing cleanliness of vegetables, and achieves unexpected significant effect, which is completely removing all impurities in vegetables. Moreover, implementing this patent to manufacture the machine costs much lower, compared with many solutions during the 20 years.